Ceiling plate



w. GRIMSHAW CEILING PLATE July 3, 1928. 1,676,228

Filed Aug. 2, 1926 Jul/enter Patented July 3, 1928.

WILLIAMGRIMSHAW, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

f cEItING PLATE.

Application' filed Augiit 2, 1926. seria Nt.'12e,705.;fji.

matic sprinkler, light-ing and other installa-v tions. 1 p

The object of the invention is to provide a self-locking ceiling plate, which is simple in construction, attractive in appearance, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which'may quickly and conveniently be installed in position.

Considered broadly, a wall or ceiling plate embodying my invention and improvements is made of resilient sheet material, preferably sheet steel of about 'gage, provided with a hole and with slits which extend outwardly from said hole, forming springsegments connected at their outer ends, said plate being dished and the opening therein being smaller'than the member with which it is designed to be used. Preferably, also, the

" portion of the plate in which the hole is other features and details of construction 7 formed is substantially flat.

In use, my improved ceiling plate is adapted to be adjusted to a memberrod or pipe with which it is designed for use so that said member will enter the hole therein from the concave side of the plate. Being slightly, smaller than said member, it is obvious that the operation of adjusting the ceiling'plate to said'member will expand the hole therein, forcing the segments of the plate apart and causing them to grip said member with strong frictional engagement.

which, while permitting movement of the ceiling plate to adjust it to said member, will effectually prevent movement of said ceiling plate to withdraw it therefrom;

My invention also comprises the various hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings in which my invention isfully illustrated, I *igure 1 is a plan view of the concave side of the ceiling plate;

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof on the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the manner of applying my improved ceilingplate in use; and i Q Figure 4 is a plan view from the position 44 of Fig. 3.

Describing the invention with particular reference to'the drawings, my improved ceilingplate, designated as a whole A, is made a said plate being of suitable resilient sheet material, preferably sheet steel of approximately 20 gage,"-

dished, one side thereof being concave and the other convex. As shown, said plate is circular'in plan View, but the shape thereof is immaterial and may be varied as desired without departure from my invention.

Formed in said plate, preferably in the center thereof, is a hole or opening 1 andv extending outwardly therefrom, preferably,

on radiallines, are slits2, forming sprin segments 3 which are connected at their outer a ends.

Preferably, also, the portion of the plate A in which the hole l is formed is substantially fiat.

In use, the-plate A is. adapted to be adjusted to a member, as a rod or pipe 4, projecting from a wall or ceiling, indicated at 5, so that said member 4 will enter the hole 1 from the concave side of the plate. In accordance with my invention, the hole lIis slightly smaller than the member 4 so that the act of adjusting said plate to said mem ber. will expand said hole,forcing the free ends of the segments 3 apart and causing them to grip the member 4 with strong fric- V tional engagementwhich, while permitting movement of the plate on said member, into I adjusted position, will effectually prevent movement of said plate in'a direction to withdraw it from vious manner.

My improved ceiling plate; may conveniently be formed by'usual stamping processes and the shape thereof in cross section may be variously modified, as desired, without departure from; my invention.

I I claim': a a

said member, in an ob- 1. A wall or ceiling plate for the purpose I "specified, comprising a plurality of. spring segments connected together at their outer ends, said plate being dished and the edges of the inner-"ends of the segments thereof defining a hole in said 'plate adapted to receive a member in'association with which said plate is designed to be used and which is normally smaller thansaid member, and

the inner ends of different segments comprising opposed portions, the relation being such that when a plate isapplied to a member the edges of the inner ends of said segments will directly engage said member.

2. A wall or ceiling plate as specified n claim 1, in which the plate is made of thin,

sheet metal and'is provided with-slits which extend outwardly from the hole therein on substantially radial lines forming the segments of said plate. a

3. A Wall or ceiling plate as specified in claim 1, in Which the end portions of said segments which are substantially fiat. p

4;. A Wall or ceiling plate as specified in define the hole in the plate claim 1, in Which the segments which define the hole in the plate are fiat and positioned substantially in the same plane. I

In Witness that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I afliX my signature this 27 15 day of July, A. D. 1926.

WILLIAM GRIMSHAW.

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